Florida Power and Light is seeking approval to build two solar farms in the area.
In a statement released by the company, they said the new panels could create hundreds of jobs and wouldn’t create any dust, odor, or pollution.
However, residents in the area said they are worried about a decrease in their property’s value, a disruption in the wildlife and said they still have questions about pollution prevention.
“We just think it needs to be somewhere else besides this beautiful, agricultural land and we don’t want to look at it,” said Calhoun County resident, Lillie Hamil. “I mean, it is what it is. We don’t want to look at it we’re very unhappy about hearing it.”
Florida Power and Light said each farm would create approximately 200 jobs during peak construction. However, potential job creation wasn’t enough to sway Hamil’s opinion.
“I didn’t move to the country to have people I don’t know from out of the state, from everywhere God knows where, in my front yard,” said Hamil. “You know my children ride bikes, they have dirt bikes, they have four-wheelers, like I don’t want to have those people in my front yard working.”
Hamil’s father, Byron Allen, has lived in Altha for 30 years. He is also against the potential solar energy center and said it feels like his home has been taken away.
“I don’t wanna go through the rest of my life looking at a bunch of solar panels out here,” said Allen. “Every time I go down to check my cows, I have to look at a pile of solar panels and I’m too old to pick up and move you know?”
Dustin Stevens is a stakeholder with Boothill Farm and said at one point, they were approached to sell their land to create a solar farm but they said no. He said he is also worried about his property value decreasing because he is still trying to fix what Hurricane Michael broke.
“So I waste a fortune trying to make improvements,” Stevens said. “They put that in and it devalues my property. I just think there’s better places for it than agricultural land.”
The Calhoun County Commission planning meeting will be held at 4 p.m. and the county commission meeting will be at 5 p.m. Both meetings will be on Tuesday, January 18.
To read the full Florida Power and Light statement, download it below.
Statement:
On January 19, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) will seek approval for the construction of two solar farms, a proposal that could be the answer to the county’s search for smart, sustainable ways to strengthen the region’s economy. This new kind of crop – harvesting the sun for clean, emissions-free energy – would create hundreds of jobs and increase local tax revenue, if approved.
We’re aware of certain concerns expressed by a neighboring landowner. Throughout our development process, we do extensive outreach to residents, and provide factual information based on 30+ solar energy centers we operate across the state of Florida. This outreach effort has been more challenging this year due to COVID-19, but we have worked hard to reach our neighbors one-on-one to address their questions and concerns. We’re confident that our proposed solar energy centers will be safe and valuable additions to Calhoun County.
Named after two of Calhoun County’s unique waterways, Chipola River and Flowers Creek, the solar farms would generate zero-emissions energy, while using no water or fuel and creating no dust, odor, or pollution. Unlike traditional power plants, the panels are installed low to the ground so there is little or no visual impact. In addition, but for certain maintenance activities, our solar farms are unmanned and monitored remotely, so community residents won’t have to worry about increased noise or traffic once the farms are constructed.
We try to procure local resources whenever possible, and each solar farm would create approximately 200 jobs during peak construction. This tends to increase revenue for local shops, restaurants and hotels.
Modern solar projects are designed to operate for at least 30 years. If there is no longer a demand for the project after 30 years, we would “decommission” it – meaning all elements are removed and the land is returned to its natural state.
At FPL, we’re very selective about where we locate our solar farms. Harvesting renewable energy from the sun’s rays will keep Calhoun County beautiful and preserved for generations to come, while providing local tax revenue that will benefit residents today. We respect the area’s unique heritage and wish to preserve its beautiful landscapes and rich agricultural resources. We’re hopeful we can partner with the county to help boost the local economy while building a brighter future for the Sunshine State.
